Russian Overflights by RAF Crews during the "Cold War"
Interesting obituary in The Times today.
Wing Commander Rex Sanders
Steely navigator on secret RAF missions over the Soviet Union in the 1950s
Wing Commander Rex Sanders
Steely navigator on secret RAF missions over the Soviet Union in the 1950s
From the Orbit - surely the altitude is a typo?
The mission was conducted at night at an altitude of about 35,000ft and made extreme demands on Sanders, who was responsible for radar reconnaissance, photography and navigation. The flight plan zigzagged between 20 to 30 targets as they gathered information. Far beneath them the operation was monitored by US and British intelligence. On that occasion in April 1952 the crew got home without incident. When the operation was re-run in April 1954, Crampton and Sanders were detected as they flew over Kiev and Soviet gunners opened up. A meticulous operator who was regarded as super-cool under pressure, Sanders had seen plenty of flak during bombing missions in the Second World War and realised they were flying too high to be hit
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Wiki suggests "Service ceiling: 46,000 ft (14,020 m)"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_...n_B-45_Tornado
Perhaps the altitude was determined by sensor capability? Well within MiG-15 envelope, though, so I wonder why the "ramming option" was necessary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_...n_B-45_Tornado
Perhaps the altitude was determined by sensor capability? Well within MiG-15 envelope, though, so I wonder why the "ramming option" was necessary.
Wonderful. Thanks
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And here's another declassified document
The U-2 and OXCART programs 1954-74
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USSR B50 USSR Overflights
Just noticed this Blog and want to mention that, in 1952, I was at RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall with USAF B50 nuclear bombers doing overflights of the USSR.
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Having just discovered this fascinating thread, can I just introduce a related topic to the main discussion? I have semi-circumstantial evidence that an RAF Canberra PR7 undertook photo reconnaissance on behalf of the CIA over Vietnam and possibly neighbouring countries in the mid-sixties, during the Vietnam War.
I was stationed at RAF Labuan, Borneo, for a short time in 1966 and while there as ground crew performed turn-rounds on a visiting Canberra PR7 that was painted matt black overall. After being refueled, the Canberra departed and very oddly did not return until the next day. Obviously, it must have landed somewhere else in the interim. This occurred a number of times while I served there. Several years later, as a civilian, I got into conversation with a former USAF serviceman who was seconded to the CIA’s “Air America” in the Vietnam area during that same period. While relating some of the exploits of Air America to me, he began to praise the RAF photo reconnaissance that assisted them, going on to describe how the Canberra, after taking the required photos, landed at one of their airfields where the ground crew unloaded the camera to retrieve the film before sending the Canberra on its way. At first I objected that Britain was not involved in that conflict and perhaps it was an Australian aircraft, but he insisted that it was definitely RAF. Then that it struck me that perhaps the Canberra I helped to turn round at Labuan was the same one that provided the recon service to the CIA in Vietnam. I am now researching this for a book of memoirs and would like to hear if anyone else knows anything about this.
I was stationed at RAF Labuan, Borneo, for a short time in 1966 and while there as ground crew performed turn-rounds on a visiting Canberra PR7 that was painted matt black overall. After being refueled, the Canberra departed and very oddly did not return until the next day. Obviously, it must have landed somewhere else in the interim. This occurred a number of times while I served there. Several years later, as a civilian, I got into conversation with a former USAF serviceman who was seconded to the CIA’s “Air America” in the Vietnam area during that same period. While relating some of the exploits of Air America to me, he began to praise the RAF photo reconnaissance that assisted them, going on to describe how the Canberra, after taking the required photos, landed at one of their airfields where the ground crew unloaded the camera to retrieve the film before sending the Canberra on its way. At first I objected that Britain was not involved in that conflict and perhaps it was an Australian aircraft, but he insisted that it was definitely RAF. Then that it struck me that perhaps the Canberra I helped to turn round at Labuan was the same one that provided the recon service to the CIA in Vietnam. I am now researching this for a book of memoirs and would like to hear if anyone else knows anything about this.
With all of the various US reconnaissance assets in Vietnam why on earth would the US seek the assistance of a foreign Canberra PR7? You sure this wasn't a B-57 variant?
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pr00ne, the US in Afghan seemed to regard the aircraft with somewhat mythical status and would ask for it by name ('can we have Canberra cover here or there'). Talking with the crews it seemed that the US didn't really have much to match the combination of platform, optics and operators. I know this was later than Vietnam but the aircraft appeared to be regarded with some reverence.
I was stationed at RAF Labuan, Borneo, for a short time in 1966
When you went off their area to the old maps one would navigate by hashers for hills or letters, from R to M in Relief Data Incomplete.
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pr00ne, during one of the Canberra's visits, I recognized the pilot as someone I knew from a previous station where we had both served. He was definitely RAF. The aircraft was a Canberra PR7 because it featured the domed canopy, unlike the fighter canopy employed on the B57. The odd thing that fuels my theory is that on each of the occasions it visited, it returned again the next day, which it could only do if it landed somewhere else during the time it was absent from Labuan.
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pr00ne, during one of the Canberra's visits, I recognized the pilot as someone I knew from a previous station where we had both served. He was definitely RAF. The aircraft was a Canberra PR7 because it featured the domed canopy, unlike the fighter canopy employed on the B57. The odd thing that fuels my theory is that on each of the occasions it visited, it returned again the next day, which it could only do if it landed somewhere else during the time it was absent from Labuan.
Photo, # 195, One of the few B-57A varients (8); B-57A 52-1459 Horeseheads NY
Later conversions to RB-57A for reconnaissance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-57_Canberra
note other variants, roles, and operations.
Later conversions to RB-57A for reconnaissance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-57_Canberra
note other variants, roles, and operations.
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Photo, # 195, One of the few B-57A varients (8); B-57A 52-1459 Horeseheads NY
Later conversions to RB-57A for reconnaissance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-57_Canberra
note other variants, roles, and operations.
Later conversions to RB-57A for reconnaissance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-57_Canberra
note other variants, roles, and operations.